The European Union’s drug regulator has stated that it could issue a decision shortly on whether to approve the use of the Pfizer Covid-19 pill, Paxlovid, after the US drug maker submitted an application seeking its future authorisation.
The EMA have already evaluated a portion of the data, during a review of proposed medication which began in last November. The approval now being sought is for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Covid-19 in patients 12 years of age and older, weighing at least 40 kilograms (6.3 Stone) and remaining at high risk of their illness becoming worse.
Here in the Irish Republic, within the previous 24 hours there have been 23,909 new cases of Covid-19 reported by our Department of Health.
As of 8:00am, there were 1,063 people in hospital with the virus, up 79 on the same time yesterday, and of these, 89 patients are in intensive care units across the country, an increase of 6 on yesterday’s reported cases.
Currently between 14,000 and 15,000 HSE staff are absent, due to Covid related issues.
Some 83,000 children aged between 5 and 11 years, have now registered for vaccination, with and 27,000 of this age group inoculated with their first shot. Parents are being reminded that it is not the case that every child will have a mild dose of Covid-19 and a number of children have become significantly ill in hospital with the virus.
A portal to register positive antigen tests is expected be up and running this week, which will have the functionality to allow people to input their close contacts.
In Northern Ireland today, their Department of Health also reported a further 2,706 coronavirus cases, down from the 3,760 cases reported on yesterday.
They also confirm that 387 patients with Covid-19 in hospitals, with 31 patients with the virus in hospital intensive care units, an increase of one. Sadly, the Northern Ireland Department of Health has also confirmed 6 more Covid-19-related deaths today.
It was never more important that everyone now continue to support our schools, businesses, immediate family and friends and to keep to the spirit of public health advice.
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